The Kingswood
by numberf1ve
Summary: For weeks, Anna has been sneaking into the Kingswood in search of ice fairies, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creatures whose power she witnessed, but things are not always as they seem. Are there really fairies in the Kingswood or is someone else responsible?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Surprising no one, I still do not own Frozen ;).**

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Anna left her cottage hurriedly, closing the door with a thud. She walked quickly down the path leading away from her home as the sun dipped below the tree line. It was not a very well-traveled path. In fact, it was more often used by animals than people, but Anna knew it like the back of her hand. She knew each tree that lined the way. Every rock was familiar. Anna had to know the path exactly because she could not bring a torch into the wood to light her way, for it was the Kingswood and, strictly speaking, was off-limits to anyone without the express written permission of the king himself. Anna, a commoner, had no such permission, of course, but was confident she could evade detection. She had made the trip dozens of times before without incident and hoped to continue doing so.

The red-haired girl moved quietly over the ground, making her way through the trees and undergrowth toward the edge of a small lake. The wood itself was full of great trees, making it dark and, Anna admitted, a little frightening. The trees parted, though, to make way for the pond, allowing the full moon to shine brightly on the water, illuminating the shoreline. It was beautiful. Peaceful and quiet. Anna had always been drawn to such tranquil scenes and felt most calm near the water's edge.

Beyond the pond was a clearing, of sorts, on the opposite shore. More a rocky beach than a clearing, really. It was there, by the side of that small, clear lake that Anna had first witnessed the magic. Now, like clockwork, Anna made her way to this place as often as she could in hopes of seeing more. She had told no one of her discovery, in part so they would not think her mad but mostly because she did not want to share - with anyone - the magic of the ice fairies (For what could have power over water and snow and ice, if not a fairy?).

When Anna arrived at that almost sacred place, she surveyed the shoreline carefully. There was no one there. The woods all around were quiet and still. She picked up a small rock and made a wish. She kissed the smooth stone once before skipping it across the water's glasslike surface, leaving behind hundreds of ripples to dance in the moonlight. Satisfied that she was alone by the pond, Anna retreated from the water and ducked down behind a large rock to wait. She smiled happily to herself, tucking a stray lock of red hair behind her ear. She was content to wait - wait for magic.

Many long minutes crawled by, and try as she might to wait patiently, Anna found herself peering over the top of the large rock with increasing frequency. Truly, it was growing quite late, the shadows were becoming more ominous with each passing moment. She sighed heavily. Perhaps her hope to see magic would go unrealized as had happened several times before. After all, one cannot just assume that fairies will keep a set schedule.

Anna had just stood from her hiding spot to leave when she caught sight of a small burst of bluish-white light and...ice. The redhead was so excited she nearly cried out, but instead resumed her position behind the rock and watched as snow and ice began to swirl and glow on the other side of the pond. As she crouched and stared, the ice transformed itself into a beautiful frozen fountain, and then morphed perfectly into an enormous reindeer. The enchanted water soon took on the form of a crystal palace, growing straight from the ground, grand and elegant, with spires reaching the tops of the trees. Anna sat in awe as the ice and snow continued to spiral and change until finally, at length, it began to dissipate and was gone.

When she was sure the incredible display was over, Anna rose to her feet and turned to walk home, picking her way carefully along the now completely dark trail. Lost in thought as she headed homeward, the redhead found herself wishing, more than anything else, to one day meet the fairies responsible for such wondrous magic.

The night air had grown chilly and Anna pulled her cloak tight around her for warmth. Still, the cold bit through her clothing. It was unusually cold air for the time of year. No matter. She would be back in her little house at the border of the Kingswood in front of a fire in no time.

Suddenly, Anna heard a scream from somewhere behind her. She turned to face the sound. It sounded like a woman. A woman's scream. No, Anna thought, not a woman...just an owl. She turned once more and to continue up the path but halted in place as another, somewhat muffled shriek met her ears. Still behind her, but not very far off. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

For a moment, she wanted to break into a run. She wanted to run away, back home...back to safety. The world, Anna knew, was not safe - especially at night. But what of the other woman? From the sound of her cries, she desperately needed help. But what if she was being accosted by a highwayman or worse? Anna, though certainly not helpless, would not fool herself. Going to this stranger's aid might mean putting herself in grave danger. Another cry of pain rushed passed her on a blast of cold air and her mind was made up. She pulled a small knife from her boot and spun on her heels, hurtling through the woods in the direction of the screams.

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 **As far as I can tell, this will be a two-shot or thereabouts. This idea popped into my head an hour or so ago and seemed a pleasant enough way to keep the creative juices flowing-ish while I wait for inspiration to strike on my other stories.**

 **As always - Questions, Comments, Suggestions and even Rude Remarks are welcomed and encouraged. Reviews are welcomed, encouraged and GREATLY appreciated.**

 **Til next time...**


	2. Chapter 2

Anna slowed her pace as she reached the vicinity of the cries. She pulled her hood up to hide her red hair and obscured herself in the shadows so she could observe the situation before charging in. Anna was eager to help but certainly not eager to share in whatever horrors might have befallen the unknown woman.

The night air was very cold. Freezing. If not for the adrenaline, Anna would surely have noticed. The redhead was frozen, but for an altogether different reason. She had found the damsel in distress. A beautiful and pale woman with blonde hair sat on the ground beside the stream, clawing uselessly at her ankle. Her would-be rescuer could plainly see that the woman had somehow managed to get caught in a poacher's trap. Anna grimaced at the sight of sharp steel teeth digging into the woman's flesh, blood oozing from the row of wounds.

The pale woman took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, then gripped the sides of the trap, struggling to pull them apart. She made some small progress before her fingers slipped from the steel now slick with blood. Again, the blonde cried out, wincing in agony as the hard jaws clamped down once more on her already damaged leg.

The injured blonde took no note of Anna as she emerged from the brush and eased toward her, knife forgotten but still held firmly in her hand. It was not until Anna called gently to her that the stranger realized she was no longer alone, but a knife-wielding thief had come to rob her or worse.

The woman's eyes were wide with pain and fear as she tried her best to move away from Anna's cloaked, armed, and advancing figure. She only ceased her retreat when the chain pulled taut, allowing her no more slack. She hissed in pain, tears trailing down her cheeks.

Anna stopped moving forward to calm the woman, "Do not be afraid," she tried in her most reassuring tone, "I will not harm you, I swear it."

The blonde was not convinced as her gaze flitted between the hooded face and the knife in Anna's hand.

Embarrassed, the redhead realized she was still armed, her face hidden from view. She slowly shifted her hand down to her boot, sheathing her blade; the other pushed her hood back, red hair spilling over you shoulders. "Sorry," she said, grinning sheepishly, "I did not mean to frighten you,".

Confronted with an unarmed girl no older than herself, the blonde seemed to relax a bit, though Anna held her hands up in front of her placatingly as she stepped closer. The woman was injured and scared and exhausted from the ordeal. Her blue eyes watched Anna's every step anxiously as though waiting for her to attack.

After a few tense moments, Anna stood beside the blonde, unintentionally towering over her. The helpless girl cowered, anticipating the worst. She tried once more to move away, but her trapped limb tethered her to the ground, sending a renewed wave of pain through her body. She cried out. Anna grimaced, sympathetically crouching down so that she was at eye level with the girl, hoping to put her at ease. "Shhh. Hush, now," Anna cooed, using her kindest, calmest voice, "It will be all right. I am going to help you." The redhead's teal eyes held the blue ones with a gaze that was steady and certain. The injured woman relaxed, hoping she could trust the girl whose eyes seemed so kind. She had no other choice.

Anna looked over the injured limb. It was bleeding from a series of wounds which could only have come from multiple failed efforts to remove the trap. She had to admire the blonde's determination to free herself. Damn trappers. The woman's ankle and lower leg were fairly damaged but no bones appeared broken, making the woman's chances much, much better. Still, it was a pretty unpleasant situation.

Anna sighed and turned to the woman whose light blue gown was stained with blood and smiled, trying her best to keep the woman calm and positive, "It is not SO bad," she began unconvincingly, "I can take care of this. No problem. We just need to get you back to my cottage. All right?" She attempted to sound confident to soothe the pale girl.

The blonde only nodded.

Anna moved down to the woman's ankle to examine the spring mechanism. The trap had obviously been designed for snagging bigger animals. The coiled spring was too large and strong for Anna to open the jaws. She would have to dismantle it, but she needed her tools. Anna glanced back at the blonde. She could not leave the woman behind to go fetch her tools.

The redhead stood and followed the chain of the trap to a stake driven into the relatively soft soil. Thank God for that, Anna thought, as she still struggled to free the spike from the ground. She pulled and strained against the dirt until it finally gave way casting her backward into the stream. "Cold! Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold," Anna chattered to herself as she clamored quickly out of the water, soaking wet. She looked up to find the blonde staring at her with the smallest of grins on her face. "Well," Anna said, gathering the chain and returning to the blonde's side, "I am glad my misfortune distracted you from your own."

She smiled broadly at the woman who looked away for a moment, embarrassed.

No longer tethered to the ground, the woman looked up at Anna uncertainly as the redhead knelt down beside her, "Now for the hard part," she said gravely. The redhead explained that in order to free her from the trap and treat her wounds, the two girls would have to venture to Anna's home on foot, with the trap still in place. The blonde whimpered in response. Anna sighed, "I do not like it either but these woods are dangerous at night. My home is not far from here but I dare not leave you behind. You must walk with me. Do not worry. I will help you. Ready?" With barely a nod from the blonde Anna rose, pulling her to a standing position on her uninjured foot. The woman groaned in pain, swaying unsteadily. Anna was there to hold her up, bracing the blonde with her own body as they set off in the direction of Anna's home.

"By the way," Anna began, trying to distract from the shared misery of their trek with conversation, "What is your name?"

The blonde took another step and grimaced, "Elsa," she responded in a small voice, breathing hard, "My name is Elsa."

The cold, wet, redhead smiled. She liked the name. "Hello, Elsa," she beamed (well as much as one can beam given the situation), "I am Anna. Very pleased to meet you...though, surely the circumstances leave quite a bit to be desired."

The two chuckled tiredly as they continued to make their way toward Anna's home that was so close, yet seemed so impossibly far away.

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 ** _Ouch! Caught in a poacher's trap. That does not sound like fun. I hope Anna knows what she's doing. What was Elsa doing in the Kingswood at night anyway?_**

 ** _As always - Suggestions, Questions, Comments and Rude Remarks are welcomed and encouraged._**

 ** _Reviews are, of course, welcomed, encouraged and GREATLY appreciated._**

 ** _Til next time..._**


	3. Chapter 3

Anna's home was very small: a tiny bedstead, a medium sized trunk, one table, a chair and a hearth; precious little else. The redhead helped Elsa inside and into the chair sat beside her table. She carefully raised the blonde's legs up to the level of the table, apologizing for the pain.

Elsa grimaced, true her leg was painful but the sight of her injured ankle was nauseating. Blood seeped from the many wounds and, though she was not certain, she thought she caught a glimpse of her bone exposed by one of the gashes. She looked away; it was not a pretty sight.

Turning away from her limb, she apologized earnestly for the red stains forming on the wooden surface. Anna frowned, not at all bothered by the stains, her mind preoccupied with how best to tackle poacher's snare, as she filled a mug with water for her guest. The blonde thanked her and took the cup and sipped quietly, watching Anna add wood to the embers in her hearth.

It was cold and dark in the little cottage; they would need the fire's light to work.

Once the fire was burning brightly, the redhead stood from the hearth and moved across the room, to the far side of her bed, to retrieve a small box full of tools. She hoped she could remove the trap without causing any more damage, but it was doubtful. Elsa stiffened when she saw Anna pull a hammer and what looked like a large nail or a spike from the chest, along with a few other tools.

The blonde dreaded the pain that would accompany freeing her foot. She had half-entertained the notion of just leaving the jaws in place. Elsa flinched as each item was placed on the table in front of her. Anna noticed and immediately reassured the blonde, "It will all be fine, Elsa. Trust me." This last seemed to be equal parts statement and question, with a hint of pleading.

Elsa gulped, but managed a frail smile. "I trust you," she replied meekly.

In addition to the tools, Anna produced a short, brown bottle and placed it on the table. Elsa raised her brow quizzically. Anna drew a shaky breath, "I am almost ready to get started," she said, gesturing toward Elsa's trapped foot, "I promise to be gentle...but it will hurt so I thought, perhaps, some whiskey..."

The blonde smiled as reassuringly as she could, "Thank you, Anna. I think, under the circumstances, a whiskey might be exactly I need," she concluded, pulling the stopper from the bottle with trembling fingers. Elsa took a large mouthful of the liquor, squeezing her eyes shut. The liquid burned its way down her throat, warming her belly.

Several more swigs followed and before long, the warm sensation in her stomach spread outward through her limbs and with it came a calmness and a certainty that everything would, in fact, be all right - Anna would make it all right.

When Elsa seemed comfortably intoxicated Anna gently took the bottle from her hands, taking a generous swallow herself-to calm her nerves-before stoppering the bottle and setting it aside. Anna examined the mechanism once more before picking up her tools and setting to work, "Ok, Elsa," she said with a gulp, "here we go."

The trap was certainly spring-loaded and the spring itself appeared dependent on just one pin in particular. Anna hoped that removing this pin would release the tension on the metal jaws, thus freeing Elsa...but she was not sure. She chewed nervously at her lower lip, her gaze flitting up to meet Elsa's eyes. The blonde stared back at her confidently, eyes sparkling, "You can do it," she told her.

Anna breathed deeply and began to work the pin loose from the spring mechanism. The pin moved, but in very small increments. Each tiny shift of the pin sent vibrations into the jaws of the trap, making Elsa whimper. She gripped the edge of her seat, gritting her teeth against crying out. Overall, the process -though slow- was much less painful than either had anticipated. Of course, it might have just been the whiskey dulling the pain. It was difficult to tell.

At last, the pin fell free from the trap, dropping the spring from the mechanism. The metal jaws clamped tight around Elsa's ankle loosened slightly. Anna breathed a sigh of relief as she carefully pried the trap open and removed it from Elsa's leg, letting it drop to the floor with a metallic clatter.

Elsa released the breath she had been holding. The redhead looked over at her and smiled brightly, "There," she said with a wink, "See? No problem." Elsa chuckled briefly, relieved that the ordeal was over. However, her smile quickly gave way to new pain as circulation returned to her foot. She hissed, watching blood ooze more quickly from the teeth marks.

Anna's heart was lightened, the bones were not broken and the gashes, though serious, were not more than she could handle. "Let's get this cleaned up," Anna said, gently wiping away the blood and examining the rows of wounds more closely. The leg would heal. She smiled again at the blonde, "It looks as though you will yet recover," she joked, "How does it feel?"

Elsa felt that was easily the most ridiculous question she could have been asked. Her ankle throbbed, her foot and toes stung and prickled as feeling returned. She decided to humor her rescuer, "It feels much better."

The redhead laughed, "Oh, Elsa! You are a terrible liar," she said, rolling her eyes.

Elsa had the grace to blush, "The truth is...it hurts," she said, bluntly, "Very much."

Anna went to her trunk, returning with bandages, a needle and thread, and yet another small brown bottle. She opened the bottle and sighed, "This may sting a bit," she said, pouring the bottle's contents unceremoniously over the blonde's leg.

Elsa drew a sharp breath, gritting her teeth. "Gods!" she shrieked, trying to pull her leg away. The redhead gripped her leg with a firm but gentle hold. Anna thought she heard a quiet curse escape the blonde's lips.

Anna apologized profusely, "The potion will help cleanse your injuries and stave off infection. I am sorry. I wish it did not burn so."

Tears ran down Elsa's cheeks as she struggled to recover from the surprise agony of Anna's potion. The redhead frowned, apologizing again as she threaded a small curved needle, "Several of your wounds need closure." She lit a stump of candle from the fire in the hearth and used its flame to sterilize the needle, "You must stay very still, Elsa," Anna spoke calmly, "I will try to make the stitches as even and attractive as I can." Elsa steeled her courage and took a deep breath, nodding at Anna to begin.

Anna worked carefully, closing eight of the most severe gashes with small, neat stitches. She was confident that, should the wounds scar, the stitching would ensure the best possible appearance.

When Anna finished stitching, she tied a careful knot in the thread and set the needle aside, a slight sweat on her brow. Elsa examined her ankle, marveling at the expert stitch work. She thanked the redhead repeatedly. "Do not thank me yet," Anna said with a small smile as she poured more of her antiseptic concoction into a large bandage.

The blonde's grateful smile morphed into a frown as the soaked linen was tightly wrapped around her ankle and lower leg, "That potion of yours hurts more than anything," she groaned, holding her leg.

Anna giggled in response, "Perhaps, but I daresay it hurts less than having to amputate a putrefied limb." Elsa shuddered at the thought, suddenly embarrassed for complaining. Anna apologized, she had not meant to upset her new friend, "Well, shall we move you to the bed? I think you will find it much more comfortable. Let me clean myself up first."

Still feeling stressed, Anna took a second long swig of whiskey. She carefully rinsed her hands in the basin and turned back to Elsa who still sat in the chair with her legs propped up on the table. She helped Elsa stand up on her uninjured foot and guided the girl over to the bed. Elsa tried to protest but Anna cut her off, "You cannot sleep in the chair you know."

Not to be denied, Elsa retorted, "Neither can you sleep on the ground. Please. There is enough space for two."

Anna snorted, "Hardly...but I think we can make do for tonight." The redhead chuckled, pulling a green woolen blanket over the injured blonde, "What were you doing in the Kingswood this evening anyway?".

Elsa shifted uncomfortably, "I was...taking a walk," she began, "Just...enjoying some time to myself."

Anna eyed the blonde skeptically. Elsa clearly did not want to say any more about her reasons for visiting the woods. Before Anna could ask any further questions Elsa interrupted with one of her own, "Why were you in the Kingswood, Anna?"

Anna smiled, settling herself on the bed next to the blonde, "I was watching ice fairy magic by the pond..."

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 **Sorry it's been a while since I have updated any of my stories...I've been rather grossly lacking in inspiration. Hopefully, getting a chapter out will help get things going again.**

 **As always, suggestions, questions, comments, and even rude remarks are welcomed and encouraged.**

 **Reviews, of course, are welcomed, encouraged, and GREATLY appreciated. =)**

 **Til next time...**


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